current shoe obsession
alas, the sneaker. (because I live in nyc and walk a ton!) but not too
sneakery of a sneaker. more of a sneaker disguised as a shoe, like a mary
jane style or a high-tech looking black one with a metallic accent. how
about Royal Elastics? I must go try some on. I really like the non-sneakeryness
of their styles.

2.26.2008

meet me for coffee: el beit

The sign lured me in. How could a resist a cappuccinowith heart-shaped foam saying hi to me? I couldn't.And I'm glad I didn't.

New cafe on the block: El Beit opened earlier this monthon 158 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg

I was dazzled by the decor as soon as I walked in, particularlythe striped chairs. There is such fine attention to detail here.

Does that say 'cutting table'?? You've got my attention.

After my bag-purchasing trip to Brooklyn Industries, I passed an appealing sandwich board in front of the newest cafe on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg: El Beit. I've been eager to check out the decor of this place. And a cappuccino with heart-shaped foam was just what I was in the mood for. It will sound trite to say that as soon as I walked in, I was dazzled. But I was. The striped chairs, the minimalist space, the textures. Wow. Williamsburg is rapidly changing.

Coffee master, Dan Griffin who manages El Beit and (I don't want to say curates but) curates the coffee offerings, was kind enough to talk with me about the underlying details of the place. We discussed everything from decor to design to materials to coffee nuances. El Beit which means 'home' in Arabic and Hebrew, is owned by three brothers, one of whom, Bassam Ali currently works as a designer for Coach. The cafe tables that are stamped 'cutting table' are indeed cut from actual butcher block fabric cutting tables. Aha.

Bassam was largely responsible for the design and build-out of the space. Its centerpiece is a striking shingled coffee bar which was constructed from the facade of a barn. The shingles are oak. The surface is steel. The walls and ceiling of the cafe have been re-plastered and re-bricked to incorporate soothing curves. In fact, the flow of the entire space is pleasing. And yes, that was on purpose, Dan pointed out. The front door was relocated to be in line with the back door (also taken from the old barn), thus creating a better flow of traffic to an outdoor patio space that will be completed in the coming months.

The coffee menu is for the serious connoisseur. No super-sized 20 ounce cups dripping with peppermint syrup here. Thank goodness. On my next trip to El Beit, I will opt for a brewed-to-order cup from The Clover, a machine made in Seattle. As Dan explains, the dose, grind and brew time must be adjusted to bring out the particular flavors of each varietal. The resulting cup has a similar body to that of French press coffee. But you really have to try it. And so I will. Is it gauche to add milk? I'm not sure. Meet me for coffee!

The classic tulip-bulb-shaped espresso and cappuccino cups, offers Dan,are best for experiencing the full aroma and flavor of the espresso.Like the wine glass does for wine. Dan is the sommelier of coffee.

The curves of the exposed ductwork mirror the curves of the ceiling.You will enjoy examining every design detail of El Beit, eachthoughtfully considered. Very architectonic indeed.

Attention coffee connoisseurs: have you ever heard of The Clover?(The machine is made in Seattle!) The dose, grind, and brew time must be adjusted for each varietal.You must try an individually brewed-to-order cup on your next tripto El Beit. I will join you.